June 2023Releases: Giant Steps 2017 Sexton Vineyard Pinot Noir $70 & People Madly Stomping 2017 Pinot Noir $25

Giant Steps 2017 Sexton Vineyard Pinot Noir $70

Appellation: Yarra Valley
Varietals: 100% Pinot Noir
Clones: 115, MV6, Pommard (Clone 5)
Harvested: March 2017
Bottled: January 2018
Alc/Vol (%): 13.5
TA (g/L): 6.1
pH: 3.54
Cellaring: Two - ten years
Cases: 550

SEASON:
2017 was a textbook cool climate vintage. The preceding winter was cool
to cold (good vine dormancy) with good rainfall and ground saturation as
the valley moved into spring. The growing season was characterized by
intermittent rainfall with otherwise cool to mild days, bright sunshine and
importantly, no temperature peaks. As a result, all varieties enjoyed slower
ripening where acids, sugar and flavor stayed well in-sync. The resulting
wines have terrific structure and detail, underpinned by crisp natural acidity
and bright fruit.
VINIFICATION:
Hand-picked without additions.
25% (115 clone) was transferred as whole bunches to small oak and
stainless steel open vats. The remainder (MV6 and Pommard clone) was
destemmed and transferred as whole berries to the fermenters.
Fermentations were indigenous and left alone with little cap work, relying
upon carbonic maceration for extraction.
Pressed at dryness to new and used 228L tight grain French barriques for
10 months – 25% new, 75% older.
Bottled by gravity with no fining or filtration.
THE VINEYARD:
Location: Gruyere
Planted: 1997
Elevation: 130 - 210 meters
Soil Type: Grey clay loam over granite / ironstone.
Aspect: North facing slopes
Size: 75 acres
Located on the steep north facing slopes of the Warramate Ranges, the
Sexton Vineyard is exposed and demanding. Being on the higher slopes,
topsoil is thin and root systems have established themselves in shallow
gravelly loams above a tough rocky clay base. Bunch yields set naturally
low in this environment, resulting in intensely flavoured fruit with high skin
to juice ratio

People Madly Stomping 2017 Pinot Noir $25
Marcus Hill Vineyard is located on the Bellarine Peninsula, a short drive from Geelong towards the coastal townships of Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale.  Our small vineyard was established in 1999 with plantings of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Shiraz and finally Pinot Gris.

Our intention is to grow premium quality grapes in an environment where natural balance is encouraged.

The vineyard is part of a small farm with substantial plantings of indigenous trees and shrubs which are home to a wide variety of birds and other creatures which provide natural pest control for the vines – no pesticides are required.  The vines receive minimal watering and a variety of natural fertilisers are used to encourage soil and plant health.

The Bellarine is girt by sea, on two sides, and is cool during the growing season. We make our wine in a manner which is sympathetic to our site and area, which produces elegant, delicate and feminine wines. The grapes are picked by hand in small parcels, often with family and friends (see People Madly Stomping Pinot Noir). We handcraft the wines and adopt minimal intervention, handling and processing principles.

Tasting Notes
A garnet coloured Pinot that smells of bright, perfumed cherries and brown spices. On the palate it has flavours of sweet berries and dark cherries, seamless integrated oak and a touch of earthiness. The wine is well balanced, layered with soft velvety tannins and a long finish.
Winemaking

• Several Pinot clones handpicked over a week or so in mid March
• Destemmed and crushed into small open fermenters plunged daily
• One ferment had the addition of 25% whole bunch
• Half of the ferments were a wild the balance inoculated
• After a week or so pressed off into a combination of two to four year old French oak barriques and hogsheads where the wine remained for about 10 months before racking to tank for settling.
• No fining and minimal filtration

2018 Ballarat Wine Show                        Gold
2018 Geelong Wine Show           Bronze